The present invention relates to dart game scoring and is particularly concerned with a dart game scoreboard that combines the flexibility of playing several different dart games with the ability to maintain score on a single scoreboard.
There are several existing ways to play darts that are popular among players. Additionally, new games are continually being created. with this present invention, players can use the scoreboard to keep score while playing games currently known, but also allows for the opportunity of not having to replace the scoreboard as new games are created.
The prior art contains many different games that are played in conjunction with a dart board. However, this invention creates a new scoreboard for existing dart games as well as incorporates a removable game piece that creates additional and new games that may be played and enjoyed by dart players.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved dart game scoreboard. It is a further object of the invention to incorporate a new game piece of the scoreboard into new methods of playing dart games.
According to the present invention, the scoreboard frame does not change, but the removable game piece allows for different games to be played using the same scoreboard. The desired game piece is first selected according to the players"" wishes. The placement of the game piece into position and secured then identifies to the players which targets they must hit on the dart board. This is accomplished because the face of each game piece provides different vertically aligned symbols that correspond to the various rows of markers. Once the symbols are lined up with the markers, the player then understands which targets to aim for on the dartboard. The removable game pieces dictate the number of players that play and additionally identify which game has been selected in order to know which rules apply. Each game piece face corresponds to a certain game and therefore is guided by that games rules.
The game pieces allows for popularly established as well as new games to be played. For example, the well known game xe2x80x9ccricketxe2x80x9d can be played by selecting the game piece whose face values descend vertically in the following order: 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, D, T, B. The object of this game is to score three times on the numbers from 20 to 12 including doubles (D), triples (T), and bulls (B). Each time a player hits any of the targets, a marker is moved to signify the completion of that number. The first player to close out all of the numbers wins the game. This is an example of a previously existing game, however, this game can also be varied in order to provide new games.
A shorter version of the game may be played by closing out unwanted numbers before the game begins so that fewer targets are required. Alternatively the game can be played for points by incorporating the counter element of the scoreboard into the game or can be played in sequence. Also the game may be played with three players by using a game piece whose face values descend vertically in the following order: 06, 95, 84, 7B, 06, 95, 84, 7B, 06, 95, 84, 7B. The game is played from 20 to 14 and Bulls with the 06 at the top of each player""s zone representing the values 20 and 16. The 20""s are scored on the left side and the 16""s on the right side. The 95 rows are scored with 19 on the left side and 15 on the right side. The 84 rows are scored with the 18 on the left side and 14 on the right side. Finally, the 7B rows are scored with 17 on the left side and Bulls on the right side.
Alternatively, players may use the counter feature of the scoreboard by choosing to play either the game xe2x80x9c501xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c301.xe2x80x9d These games do not require the use of any game piece, only the use of the counter. This is another well known game where the object is to hit a double space on the dart board and then reduce the players score from the beginning score of either 301 or 501 to a number that can be doubled out on. Use of the counter feature allows for players to maintain score easily while playing without having to either write down the score or remember it mentally.
Other than the existing dartboard games, the different faces on the removable game pieces provide for new games to be played. One example is the game xe2x80x9cI can""t drive 55.xe2x80x9d This game is played by selecting the game piece whose face values descend vertically in the following order: 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, B. The object of this game is to score three darts per round whose numerical total equals a multiple of five from five to fifty-five. After all of the numbers from 5 to 55 are closed out the first player to score three Bulls wins the game. The double and triple spaces count as well as the single and double Bulls. When a player scores a number all three beads or counters are moved to the center and that number is closed out.
Another new game is xe2x80x9cEven Steven vs. odd Maude.xe2x80x9d This game requires the use of the game piece whose face values descend vertically in the following order: 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, (space), B. The object of this game is to score three times on all of a players"" first numbers (odds or evens). The first player to close out the Bulls wins the game.
The game xe2x80x9cAround the worldxe2x80x9d is played with the game piece whose face values descend vertically in the following order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. However, only the values from 1 to 10 are utilized. The object of the game is to be the first player to progress around the board from 1 to 20 and then three Bulls.
The game xe2x80x9cGolfxe2x80x9d utilizes two different faces of a removable game piece. The face values used for the front nine are 1-9 and 10-18 for the back nine. The object of this game is to shoot a low score and the lowest score wins the round. The player that goes first continues to do so until a hole is lost. The order of play does not change with a tied hole. Scoring for the game is determined by preselecting the par value of the holes. Movement of the counters for each hole depends on par and if the player is above or below par. Following the ninth hole, the players are to tally their score and record it using the counter. Then the back nine holes are played. At the end of the eighteenth hole the scores are added together and the lowest score wins.
The game xe2x80x9cPool-cut throatxe2x80x9d is played with three players. The game piece face values descend vertically from 1 to 12. The object of the game is to eliminate your opponents before they eliminate you. The last player standing wins the game. Each player is assigned the three rows of numbers, both the right and left sides. Players use the counters on both sides of their corresponding numbers so that it requires six hits to close out a number. It counts if a player hits their own numbers, and therefore mistakes are costly. When all of the player""s numbers are closed out, they are eliminated and the remaining two players continue until another player falls out.
A final new game is xe2x80x9cBaseballxe2x80x9d which uses the game piece face that displays the numbers 1-9. The object of the game is to score as many runs as possible during the nine inning game. The player with the most runs wins. Innings one through nine correspond to targets 1 to 9 on the dartboard. A player throws each inning until they get three misses which correspond to three outs. The counters represent outs and after three outs a player is to close out the counters for that inning. The runs are to be tallied on each player""s counter after each half inning.
The scoreboard apparatus and the changeable game pieces allow players to play traditional and popular games of darts as well as introduce new games into play. The different game piece faces introduce players to a wide variety of never before played games. Additionally, the scoreboard results in both efficiency of calculation of scores as well as incorporation of new games into a single apparatus. Finally, the combination of the counter function with the new games provides for ease of score maintenance and calculation for maximum game enjoyment purposes.